


They were roommates

by amarmeme



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attraction, F/M, First Meetings, Merrill Being Merrill (Dragon Age), Misunderstandings, Modern AU, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26345083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amarmeme/pseuds/amarmeme
Summary: Carver Hawke finds himself without a job or a place to live. His sister graciously lends him her apartment, but neglects to warn him of her sweet, all-too attractive roommate.Merrill knew Hawke's brother was moving in. She didn't know how cute he would be.
Relationships: Carver Hawke/Merrill
Comments: 20
Kudos: 26
Collections: Black Emporium 2020





	They were roommates

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucyrne (theungenue)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theungenue/gifts).



Carver couldn't get over the humiliation. He had no job, no prospects, no money and nowhere to go except his older sister's apartment. Marian wasn't there to gloat, which was a small mercy, but looking around the place he could feel smug satisfaction everywhere. Even her toaster was nicer than his.

Carver set down a box of stuff on the countertop next to the shiny, four-slice toaster. Sighing, he surveyed the apartment with a hand in his dark hair, which was shaggy now that he'd been off duty for weeks. Marian's usual style was sparse and cold, but pops of eclectic decor were tucked into nooks and crannies around the open space. He walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows provided a spectacular view of Kirkwall's Hightown neighborhood. A cozy looking armchair covered in blankets and paperback books sat opposite the windows, and he tilted his head at the array. Leaning over the chair, he picked up a book. Its dog-eared pages and well worn cover signified that someone loved it very much, and at that, Carver wondered if he'd walked into the wrong apartment after all. 

"Would you like to borrow it? You can, you know, as long as you don't mind notes in the margins." 

He dropped the book and whipped around to the owner of the melodic voice, who was certainly not his sister. A slender elf wearing a pair of loose, green overalls smiled brightly at him. Her baggy sweater and bare feet told him this was her little nook, and he'd just disturbed it. For some reason she wasn't alarmed at him breaking into her apartment, and that was even stranger than getting the wrong door.

"I'm sorry," he said, cringing at his mistake. "My sister's letting me stay at her place and I must have walked in here by accident."

The elf's smile dimmed in disappointment for a moment. "Oh, well I'm sure she would have mentioned me. But Hawke  _ is  _ busy. I must of slipped her mind."

"You know my sister?" It came out gruff. He frowned in confusion and could see on the elf's face that she'd taken it as a sign he was annoyed with her. 

"Well, yes, I'm her roommate?" 

_ That  _ was even more confusing. Why wouldn't Marian have mentioned a roommate? Especially seeing as she'd not be here to introduce them. Carver palmed his face and smoothed away the annoyance that flooded his mind. Marian was doing him a favor after all. Being picky wasn't an option, and whether or not this roommate was expecting him, he was here to stay for the foreseeable future. At least until he got his life on track. 

The elf watched him curiously, silently taking in his range of emotions. Her short brown hair was tucked behind her long ears, and her vallaslin was as delicate as her frame. He didn't know much about elves, but that tattoo meant she wasn't originally from the city either. Carver let out a huge sigh, then extended a hand, figuring it was best to set a better impression than he was giving now. Mother would have been so disappointed if she'd witnessed the exchange so far. 

"I'm Carver," he said, taking her slender hand. Her nails were painted bright red, and he glanced down at her toes and saw they matched. He wasn't sure why he did that. 

"Merrill," she replied, smiling again. "Do you need any help?" 

Looking at her, Carver very much doubted she would be of much help carrying heavy boxes. He could pick her up with one arm, easily. But with the way she was staring at him, earnest and kind, he felt bad saying no to the offer. And so the afternoon passed with his new roommate helping him unload his car and arranging their apartment together. 

***

Merrill was a little worried for Hawke. How overwhelmed she must be if she could forget to mention that Merrill lived in the apartment. When Marian left the week before she told Merrill to watch out for her brother and to "stand up for herself" if Carver gave her any grief. So far he'd been nothing but nice, albeit a little confused at the situation. And why not? Merrill would have been far more flustered if the reverse had happened and  _ she  _ was the one who walked into someone else's house. 

After bringing in Carver's things, Merrill offered to give him a tour. The apartment wasn't big enough to really need one, but it seemed like the thing you were supposed to do. The front door led into the kitchen, and to the left of that was the doors to her room and an attached bathroom. Her bedroom was rather neat, as she didn't have many possessions to clutter the space. But it didn't occur to her until they stood together in the middle that maybe showing where she slept to a man she didn't know was a rather odd idea. What Carver must have been thinking of her already! Meanwhile, he glanced at her room quickly, but his eye caught on the large floor mirror in the corner near her bed. 

"It's an antique," Merrill said. She walked over to the mirror and stroked its side. The glass was cracked in several spots, but that didn't make her love it any less. "I got it at an estate sale in Ferelden when I lived there." 

He didn't seem to care about the history of the mirror, but his eyes brightened in interest at the mention of Ferelden. 

"You're from Ferelden too?"

Merrill thought it would be too confusing to explain she was  _ actually _ from Nevarra, though she had lived in Ferelden for most of her life. At least before she moved to Sundermount with her foster mother. Then to Kirkwall on her own ... Instead she just said yes, and asked if Carver had just come from Ferelden. 

"Lothering," he replied darkly. His brows came together and Merrill wondered if she asked the wrong question. 

"I never visited Lothering," she said, eager to change the subject. "But I miss the blackberries and there were little song birds with black caps on their heads." 

Carver broke out of his cloudy musings. "I sort of miss the dogs barking."

"Yes... It's been mostly humans barking at me here. Not nearly as cute." She smiled anyway and showed him out of her room and into the living room/dining room, which he'd already seen, and then into Marian's room to the right. "Well, here's where you'll be staying. I hope you like red."

The master bedroom was opulently dressed in rich red fabric and walls. The four poster bed had a mirrored wall behind it, and the velvet canopy drapes could be swept around the whole thing. Merrill blushed to think of Carver using the room in the same way his sister had, spending a lot of time with her door shut when Isabela showed up. Merrill knew what they were doing, even if they pretended she was too innocent to understand. Picturing Carver... She hurried along the tour, showing off the master suite and explained that the laundry was in this room's giant bathroom. 

"So I will have to come in here to wash my things, but I will knock!" 

"That's good," he said, suddenly pulling at his collar. 

The lasciviousness of Hawke's bedroom made both of them squirm awkwardly, not staring at one another, but not wanting to look at their surroundings either. Merrill was sure Carver was uncomfortable with how over-the-top his sister was in this respect, but she couldn't stop thinking about him sleeping here, in this sex palace across the apartment from her. He was very tall and muscular, with very handsome blue eyes and Merrill was certain he had spent a lot of time behind locked bedroom doors in Ferelden too.

"Right, I'm sure you have a lot of unpacking to do!" she chirped. "I'll be," she turned halfway and pointed out the door, "over there! If you need me. Not that you need  _ me _ to settle in your room." 

Merrill closed her mouth before she could babble further, then feeling mortified, crept out of the room. Why did Hawke's brother have to be so good looking? 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this treat! It could be part of something much longer, and I may even get back to writing more of it some day!


End file.
